Doodle bite! Help!!

[Deeann Roesser]

Hi everyone. Our 5 month old Goldendoodle, who we love so much, just bit my husband and drew blood. This was not play biting, it was aggressive, guarding behavior when my husband was trying to take a receipt from her that she picked up. She growled a little at first and would not let go, then she bit him and he reacted by swatting her, then she lunged at him again. He moved just in time to avoid another bite. We are so upset because we have two granddaughters who come over often and that's why we got this breed.

BTW, she has never been hit by either of us before, so this was a first for us. We are so upset, even thinking of taking her back to the breeder. Please, please give any suggestions on what we can do to retrain her so this never happens again. We are so sad!

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

So sorry to hear this. I'd get a good behavioral trainer asap and keep her away from the kids in the meantime. You may like to search 'resource guarding' and 'teaching drop it' too. She needs to learn that you removing things/coming near is associated with only good things. How much training has she had? But rather than an online forum or search, a trainer will be the best way to help you all IMHO. Best,

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Have you had your doodle in training yet? Sounds like it would benefit you all. Please try this before giving up on your puppy. It just requires training. I always felt before I got got my doods that my training was to help make the grownup dog I wanted.

[Diane, Hurley and Sidney]

That had to be a shock to the two of you but she is a puppy. In my opinion she is testing her status in the household. What you might consider is showing her that you and your husband are the Alpha and not her. Right or wrong I would have grabbed her muzzle (firm but not rough) and held it shut and tell her 'no bitting' while looking her straight in the eyes. You don't have to be rough with her but firm. As I said that is my opinion.
This might help some. When Hurley nipped (he never growled or tended to be to possessive about anything) or got way to rambunctious he is sent to 'PLACE'. That is his calming down spot. It is his doggie bed which we always keep in the same spot. We started training him by saying 'PLACE" several times and taking him to his doggie bed making him stay there until released. When we released him we praised him in an excited tone. Hurley can move around on the doggie bed and play while there but he cannot come off. We started with 3 times a day for very short period (5 minutes each ) and gradually we increased the time. Now when we eat and he starts to beg he is sent to PLACE,, for example.
I don't know if any of that will help you. Getting her some training with a trainer or through some other means will go a long way in elleviating alpha issues.
Good luck and know that probably a majority of us have been through various levels of alpha behavior that had to be corrected.

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

Please do not grab your dog's muzzle when it is doing resource guarding. It can make the situation so much worse. This is not an alpha issue. Working with a certified behaviorist for a few sessions could be very helpful. Two good resources to find a certified behaviorist in your area are www.apdt.com and www.petprofessionalguild.com

There is information on resource guarding on www.positively.com and www.drsophiayin.com

[Susan and Bentley]

I agree 1000%!

[Shari Becker]

This seems like good advice. We only grabbed her muzzle really when she was very little and nipping all the time. She was just playing too hard - using her teeth the way dogs do. There's a big difference between playing and resource guarding. You definitely want to enlist a trainer for resource guarding. It's one of those things you need to get right. I'm prefer positive reinforcement training... I can't stomach training that involves punishing. 

[Cathy, Fozzie & Shaggy]

It is such a shock when something like that happens.  I completely agree with Cindy about a trainer who specializes in difficult dog behaviors.  I also LOVE this book by Brenda Aloff.  Even though my boys are older, I still refer to this book when a behavior issue comes up.   PUPPY PROBLEMS? NO PROBLEM – A SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR FINDING & TRAINING YOUR NEW DOG & DVD by Brenda Aloff (See other books by author)

Publisher: Distributed by Dogwise Publishing Edition: 2012 Paperback, 312 pages  ISBN: 9781617810510 Item: DTB1226 Ships the next business day. Summary: This book goes beyond any of the other puppy books out there and brings you Brenda's 20 years of experience working with problem dogs as a professional pet behavior consultant. This gives Brenda a unique view of what owners should have done to prevent problems from occurring in the first place. Training your dog should be a shared and fun experience that enhances the relationship you have with your dog. This book will lead you through each "problem" and in an easy to understand step-by-step program will show you how to make big differences in your dog's behavior. Video Clip: Click here to preview! (Video opens in a new window) Price:  $39.95

[BG and Gavin]

So very sorry to hear this. There are members who have death extensively with resource guarding and I am sure they will chime in. I also recommend a professional trainer who specifically has successfully dealt with this type of issue.

[Deeann Roesser]

We want to thank all of you who have responded. We just started training last week and called the trainer after this happened. She gave us some tips to use until our next session. We will do that, plus buy the book suggested by Cathy. The last thing we want to do is give up our Ginger, but our granddaughters come first.

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

If she only started training with you last week, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the difference training can make- if you give her the chance and are consistent. I learned a lot from Doggy Dan online about taking treats out of dogs mouths and shared the info with ALL the family. We also worked with several trainers from eight weeks on. Now, we say drop it and/or can take absolutely anything from him, no sweat. Best of luck! Also:http://www.livingwithkidsanddogs.com/stress.html

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I really think that the Doggy Dan program is excellent and will give you lots of great information.  However, for a dog who has already bitten an owner I think you will need a trainer or behaviorist who will come into your home and work with you.  She needs to learn that YOU own and control all the resources.  There's a process that goes with teaching that.  It starts with the food.  I always make my boys sit and wait while I prepare their meals....then I put them down....I wait a minute or two and then give them the "okay" to eat.  Affection is also key....it needs to be on your terms.  We often don't think of it as a reward or resource, but it is an important one.  For awhile I would make her "work" for all petting or playing....think of them as rewards that she must earn.

[Susan and Bentley]

I want to give a different opinion on this, as we have been using positive only reinforcement with a trainer since Bentley was around that age.  What he did is called resource guarding.  I had never heard of it before we got Bentley, but learned a lot about it.  Look at it this way, she's a dog, not a human being.  She's not trying to be "bad", she's reacting like a dog.  And how would you like it if someone grabbed something you thought was important out of your mouth.  How would you react if you couldn't speak.  You need a trainer to help with positive reinforcement.  We are still working on it as Bentley is a big resource guarder.  Her growl was her talking to you saying I don't like what you're doing.  If you take away the growl, she will go right to the bite.  Definitely get a trainer.  They learn so fast.  And the other thing I learned, don't sweat the small stuff.  Paper is no big deal - half the time, if you turn and walk away, they drop what they have.  Distraction is good too.  But unless it's something important, or that can hurt her. just turn and walk away.  That's the first thing we were taught.  As with everything, it takes lots of training and time, and maturity.  She's still a baby.  Positive reinforcement - treats, toys, cuddles, etc.